Essay On Cystic Fibrosis

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Pages: 2

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disorder that results in abnormal secretions of the respiratory, digestive, reproductive tracts. Although it is a multi-organ disease, the lungs are the most affected and respiratory failure is the primary cause of death (McCance & Huether, 2014). My career in nursing has been solely focused on adult neurosurgical spine patients and to date have not cared for patients with cystic fibrosis. That being said, these patients have a significant risk for vertebral fractures. The article chosen for this discussion is: Increased whole body hydroxyproline production as assessed by a new stable isotope technique is associated with hip and spine bone mineral loss in cystic fibrosis by Engelen, Com, & Deutz, published in the Journal of Nutrition. …show more content…
Historically, evaluation of bone mineral density through conventional means (urinary OH-PRO excretion rates, serum hydroxyproline levels, and bone density scans) are time consuming and have not been entirely accurate in predicting hip and vertebral fractures (Engelen, Com, & Deutz, 2014). This is because these tests take an overall look at hydroxyproline levels and whole body density scans. The urinary test required a 24 hour collection period and the serum test required a collagen-free diet prior to testing.
This study evaluates the infusion of a stable isotope to measure actual production of hydroxyproline at the time of infusion and is not affected by acute changes in serum hydroxyproline and does not require a collagen-free diet at the time of testing (Engelen, Com, & Deutz, 2014). Fifteen cystic fibrosis patients and seventeen health patients were used in the study showed an accurate assessment of whole-body collagen breakdown as compared with previous methods of testing without the time consuming process or restrictive diets of the